The Eurovision juries have a tendency to appreciate very quirky songs that the regular fans don't really like, that the bookmakers don't see in the final at all and that I tend to really like. They had "Siren" 9th in its semi and again 9th they had "Time" by Izabo. I was hoping it would be quirky enough to bring the televoters to the table but it was 16th, only 1pt above Austria. I reckon it's the time of songs that made a lot of people smile in the semi but no one actually ended up voting for it and therefore it cost Israel a more than deserving qualification. There are countries with a strong formula around the contest with a big NF, the usual promotion tour and what not, but Israel has never really been playing that game per se and usually relied on a specific singer to do well for them. After the disaster of 2006 (chosen by a national final), Israel went back to internally chosing their singers. And it paid off as Israel qualified non stop until 2010 and it's easy to say that Israel really deserved to and they were three years in a row in my top 10 (even if each time I think they didn't chose the best song for its artists). But in 2011, back to a NF, they again chose an awful stereotypically gay song and relied too much on Dana's fame and it flopped. So back to internal selection this year, but without the usual back-up for the artist. They really let Izabo do their own things. We knew Israel had withdrawal desires a couple of times during the season and the official clip for "Time" took forever to be released. For the longest time, all we had was like a telephone-shot video from a concert for "Time". It's an incredibly edgy nice song, with great lyrics, fun melody, catchy without being annoying. It deserved all the promotion since it's always going to be the type of entries to struggle. So I really feared the performance was going to be a huge let down considering IBA just didnt support the entry at all. I was glad to see Izabo are reason alone to not fear any further. Boy were they fun on stage! They were probably the smartest ones in using the catwalk by pushing the backing singers on the edge of the stage it created a new sense of depth and really challenged our views on the performance. The colourful retro outfits were fun, the hand routine was fun, the guitarist was insane and Shiri Hadar was definitely high. Hilarious all together! I remember when Israel was like the coolest hippie country in the contest back in the 70s and it just felt like we walked down memory lane back there for a second and for anyone who knows how great those were, that was a joy to watch. Overall, a great song with a great delivery, just a simple quirky entry that should never have been neglected and ignored but was always going to be doom for not being more instant and distinctive. Esc is a cruel world when something no one hates doesn't go further simply because not enough people love it. Israel decided to go more MF after Sweden's win and is backing up their entries a bit more, I wonder if that means it's the end of such entries to the contest. Probably not, but from Israel? It definitely showed something else from a country that was too long known as the rubbish shaky one-syllable-title shouted songs of the 80s country, olé kan hi hora-ish. Probably they need to settle on finding a way to promote these in a different way as we often see un-eurovision songs in the top 10 every year and bad results of late should not discourage Israel! We want more!

I have to admit first of all that I'm not sure what I'm ranking here because I feel, a bit, that this goes more to the Italian version than the English one. Let me explain by going back in history a bit, short history. For the second year in a row since Italy's return, Italy's in my top 5, moving even one step higher this year from 5th to 4th and for the second year in a row it's got this jazzy vibe that the contest was missing. Probably one of the most modern sounding songs of the entire year, Italy, who people were afraid would push an old fashion agenda to the contest with San Remo, proved quite the contrary it was on the edge of the continent's modernity and that they belonged more than anyone else in the contest! So a San Remo artist would go to the contest, that's all we were going to know. And then "Per sempre" was announced and everyone got super excited because as a song, it was written sublimely and would have been in the run for the title. But Nina wanted to bring something else on the contest and I admit I love both as much "Per sempre" and "L'amore è femmina" but I was disappointed with the English switch which I dont approve of. I know it's the type of songs, like the one the year before, that welcomes English superbly but I thought Nina's english pronounciation really damaged the song and the "boom boom boom" awesome bit didn't come off as natural. But Nina herself is a natural performer and she really rocked the stage with a very simple standing mic performance at first, and then two steps enough to bring the sense that something was happening. Also the backdrop visuals were perfectly fitting. This felt both like a great entry and something that was simply there for the hell of it. It's funny how Nina got the exact same rankings than Patricia: 4th with the juries and 17th in televote. That does say something I reckon. It's not bad enough that televote will completely ignore this even if it's too edgy, different, un-eurovisiony and not from a big block-friendly country to hardly do better and it's too good for the juries to ignore. A special mention has to go to the three backing singers who did a hell of a job to be really there, a presence on stage, a vocal presence as well, that didnt go unnoticed, and yet never imposed too much over their leaders. In other words, they did their job to perfection. Back to the lyrics, because this is where this entry fails to enter in the top 3 I think. The Italian ones make perfect sense that this is a woman going hysterical, true it's because of love, but also because she's a woman and she feels cheated in love but not just because of some guy but also because of herself being a woman, always at fault, and this is what driving her mad: saying "love is female you don't get you don't give" is a sutle way to analyze the violence of penetration as a metaphore for love, something they couldnt even translate to English and stayed in Italian. However, the rest they translated to something cheaper, just a sad love story and the boom boom boom that were a hammer in her head became "stop breaking my heart"? I cant be the only one who feels we stepped down from the original for the contest! Not like the lyrics are anything the audience cares enough for to change the vote, and as down as 17th in televote it really doesnt matter anymore. The juries loved it and that's what matters. Definitely a top 5 worthy and the juries were right to keep Italy in the top 10, even if this not being the returning entry it didn't get the extra love of 2011 which imo it deserved more, considering Nina's a much more professional singer than Raphael. All in all, a great entry that can be shown proudly around Europe as a sign of a truly modern contest.

Let's get the crazy stuff out of the way first: I like this more than "Lane moje"! Ok there I said it. But I'll get to explain myself so bear with me; oth are third for me in their years and comfort Serbia as one of the best esc coutries ever, back in 2012 Serbia had a flawless history of only good songs, going from the amazing masterpiece of Oro, to quirky Cipela, their weaest (and still good) at the time. As for Zeljko, he is twice my winner as a songwriter, for "Lejla" and for "Oro" and now twice third as a performing artist. Obviously, I like his songs way more than I like his singing. Let's be fair, he's a very fine singer but each time the song climaxes, he finds a way to make that musically and never vocally. So I give him credit, he knows his strength and weakness and makes up for them musically. But I can't stop thinking what "Nije ljubav stvar" would sound like interpreted by someone with stronger charisma and vocal techniques, and Zeljko would have been able to make that climax even bigger. Also "Lane moje" played the traditional folk card a lot by the dresses back then. The entirely black get up for this performance felt better to me, it edged the song as something eternal, universal and not something too rooted down. I'm assuming that if we put aside the Russian grannie phenomenon this would have kept second for Zeljko in televote, he was anyway second by the juries behind Loreen. So there is just no doubt here whatsoever that everyone agrees on the amazingness of this. Is it a masterpiece? I'm not quite sure I would rank this as such simply because I think each time I watch this that both the song and the performance are better than Zeljko himself. But let me make one thing clear, it's not that I don't like him. Back in 2011 and 2012, many Serbian voices were raised that the contest wasn't headed to the right directions by the broadcaster and that it gave a too confined and old fashion vision of Serbia. I personally love "Ovo je balkan" and "Caroban" and even though both played the stereotypical Serbian quirkness I thought both did it with depth and layers of irony way past beyond the straight forwardness of their own musicality. So Zeljko was brought back in, much to some distress, and to many others' joy. Personally, I think he's a great composer who makes great music, so I don't mind him like I do G:son or Siegel returning and it's not like he sells his composition to different genres that don't fit his personality just under request. For instance, he was asked to do a Zeljko song for Bosnia in 2006 (considering Hari Mata Hari's usual music, it wouldn't have been quite the same there). So that's for melody. As for the performance, the way they work the camera travellings on stage to give the impression we're there among the musicians (first shot on the piano's keyboard, and then up to the flutist, cut to the violin, great angle for Zeljko's walking on stage, cut to violin, cut to the entire stage in dark with spotlight as camera comes closer to Zeljko) There is a sense that something will happen before our eyes even before he sings. And then they bring something very dynamic in many short story tellings among the musicians (the fight of the two violins) it's like everyone is on its on story telling, before coming together. The roses pattern from the light on stage is a simple effect and yet it was much more efficient than many grand backdrops. It's definitely one of those entries that make us love the contest all together because it's just that good, that challenging for us who try to understand what's working so well there. And also why it didnt win when everything was so strong. I still think its Zeljko: if I hear he's writing a song I'll be thrilled and almost certainly (but there's always a reasonable doubt) know it's got a place in my top 10, if I hear Zeljko's performing it, I have this little let down feeling in me as well. He isnt the best singer out there and that does count and somehow, he does drag the amazing performance down. Can you believe I'm actually saying bad things on a song that got my third spot and is widely and rightfully regarded as a highlight of the 2012 edition? Anyway, great entry. I would say as usual from Serbia, but I am writing this in 2013 and I sadly can not anymore. But that's a discussion for another day!

Ah, Estonia! Always a joy to talk about this country and I'm going to tell a story not that many people know of. Of course my love for Eesti Laul is a very well known fact well spread around the community of friends and fans a of mine and of the contest. But on this love story there's more to say. Back during the times of the escforum where all of us from esctoday migrated once esctoday's forum close, we all had these little song contests when we presented songs from our country (or a "rented country") and had a little contest. One of us was Estonian and gave us simply the best songs each time. This was back in 2005-2008 and when you look at Estonia during that era, it was the darkest times ever with Euro Laul doing its mysery on Estonian entries (already with dumb foreign juries and songs poorly selected based on others' taste). And we kept saying, what an incredible music Estonia seems to have but as any country in the contest, we'll never get to hear those anyway. And then Eesti Laul happened. So really, it made even more sense to me that Estonia of all countries would be the one to bring the contest to a whole new level. Without a doubt the country of the moment, having not left my top 10 since 2009, it just doesnt seem to quit. I still wonder. What if that friend was let's say Slovenian and gave us amazing Slovenian music. Would I love Eesti Laul, which still would have happened the way it happened, as much? And would I mourn for not having Slovenian great music? Or was it always meant to be that Estonia, REALLY does have the best music in the continent? I don't know. And we never will. What we do know is this, Estonia has managed two sixth places singing in Estonian and without having the need to shake their asses off. Hats off, I'm pretty sure no other countries, except Serbia, can do that great being so genuinely good and simple. As for Eesti Laul 2012 it was a great edition where Tenfold Rabbit gave us the best song of the entire NF season and "Oblivion" would have been my winner even if my 2012 winner is already in my all time top 20! That's how insanely good the season was and especially Eesti Laul. Ott wasn't in my personal top 3 (where Traffic and Malcolm Lincoln were with Tenfold Rabbit) and he's still my runner-up in the contest! Back to "Kuula", there is something going on there for sure. No other way can you explain a ballad in Estonian finishing 12th in televote and 6th in juries, but also been such a run away favorite in the Estonian NF. For those who don't follow, Urban Symphony, Malcolm Lincoln or Birgit didn't win the first round of televoting in the estonian final, and ended up winning in the end. "Kuula" just almost won everything, except the juries who liked Lenna more that year (but she came second just like in 2010 when she was already the jury's favorite). I can't really say what it is because, as I said, "Kuula" wasnt even my personal favorite to begin with so that's a tiny it out of reach for me. And when I watch it again, there's something incredibly charming coming out of it. Maybe this is simplicity reaching to its maximum. Ott was incredibly gorgeous on stage, and was beautifully dressed, both elegant and yet simple, funn that Ott would bear a name whose letters would form the infamous "Over The Top" which we use to usually talk about with eurovision performance. My friend watching the contest with me kept mentioning how weird his eyebrows were but no one never mentioned this before to my knowledge when commenting this entry, even if that's something that is said over and over about Lithuania 2013. So that means the song is written and performed in such a way that people managed to neglect the silly details people often comment about. Can anyone even describe the backdrop for this? I bet most people can't, because they were glued to something else. And even the shouty never felt like vocal gymnastics. Somehow, when you put all the ingredients down to the mixture, it works. And it's truly a beautiful thing to see. There isnt anything bad to say about this and therefore it's on top of the list of great songs. Just below a song that remains way out of reach for songs that are "only" great.

Well we've now reached a song that has divided the esc community throughout the 2012 season. Screaming, screechy, atrocious melodywise were things said about an entry that still managed to get 8th in televote with a static performance, a ballad performed in the original language with a latin title. Oh and of course it got the juries' third place. When you look at who gave this point, it's hard to say it's down to a pattern, unlike for instance Kaliopi's result which is highly due to the Balkan votes. Only 1pt from Serbia but 12 from Switzerland. Nothing from Iceland or Norway but 5 from Denmark and 6 from Finland. It's spread around Europe where even neighbors with similar pattern had very different appreciation of this entry. And to paraphrase Swift, "only the great ones get great bashing". I really truly think this song is one of the contest's most daring ever. Already the latin title is nothing wen can say about, well, any other of the thousand esc entries. But that latin word shouldn't mean the lyrics are going to be all traditional and old fashion. Not that many songs would use an airplane as a metaphore (and no Scooch don't count, there was sadly nothing metaphorical in that). Just like the lyrics surprise us with metaphore at each line, each counter attacking the one before, from a realist point of view (the airplane, the elbows) to something lyrical (the "hopeless hope of isnanity"), the music was always bringing something new to the table. I remember the first time I was watching this, it started off like a great ballad, on the typical side of things, but like really good (like "Kuula") with great vocals and someone that looked more or less like a careless gypsy. I was already much in love and knew I'd support it, we already had one great chorus, but when the drum started and the song started to take a different turn (I remind you this was the 4minutes long version from Festival i Kenges semifinal) I was on the edge of my seat wondering what the hell this was coming from and where it would go next. As soon as it was over, I rushed to Eurovision Times to comment and said I had witnessed something from another planet and I admit I was like a kid super worried what the others would say about this, because somehow it matters a lot to me. And when I noticed everyone was on their knees applauding this, I sigh in relief. This wasnt just me going crazy. It was all of us. Or actually we were still too sane for the song's own good. FiK has often incredile amazing songs and they get picked, like Rovena Dilo's. So I thought this alternative piece would be lost somewhere (FiK tends to also have juries all powerful so even the audience wild reaction to Rona's performance didn't mean much to its outcome) but knew it would be on the run for my own contest, the BoNF and that was already enough. When the voting started in the final where it qualified, it was insane. For the occasion, Rona dropped her gypsy dirty green dress to a very elegant tight black dress and a leather jacket, it really was more beautiful. And it really looked like she was going to sing it again and that we'd be graced with it in the contest! Since that day, with the one exception of "Oblivion" in Estonia, there was nothing else I defended harder in the season. Each time she performed it, there was something new and knowing how good Albania is at working on their performances, I was super excited. Of course this was going to stay in Albanian no worries. And the song was so much something to talk about that no one made a big deal of the political statement a few people wanted to see in this, considering Rona was born in Pristina and that a singer born in Kosovo would represent Albania. If there was a political statement, it was that FiK managed to recognize the best singer in its competition and that was just it. An artist is someone that brings you to his or her own world, that doesnt give up on anything she believes in and is willing to put herself completely out for you. I knew whatever Rona was going to do on the esc stage, her haters would condemn it because it would be so instantly, so evidently her. That look on stage was flat out amazing. Yes people said alien, she was indeed the USO, undetermined singing object. She looked great, she performed as much as the song needed, and that was entirely (watch other performance from her, she's always over the top but not in that fashion, that one was done for the song itself). The Barbara Dex Award sometimes goes to ugly dresses, but also often to courageous daring artists. No wonder Rona picked it up. At least both juries and televote had her up there because there's just no escaping it. When I ask you what was the backdrop for this, you'll tell me there was none, just red lights, smoke and one white spotlight on her. Wrong. THere was a backdrop, but if you didnt notice it it's because it worked so smoothly with everything else that you didnt notice the white blocks passing by her. The camera turning around her, the cheers of the crowd, the voice breaking up, there was so much going on you feel under pressure of the song, and that's what's the song about, under too much sadness you wanna scream and explode. How many sad love songs say that, but in such a simple formulastic ballad that you're never heartbroken with them? You either wanna be miserable and disappear and give it all up (Patricia Kaas) or you wanna explode, destroy everything (Rona Nishliu) which ironically is the opposite of what the lyrics say: Patricia's lyrics are "I am willing to destroy everything for you" and she performed it as if she was going to give up, to die because of sadness, when Rona's lyrics say "All I can do is cry and die" and her performance was like she was going to really turn the whole world around. And that's what's great about these ladies, it's not a one straight forward story telling, it's layers of depth inside a song's life and story that makes you believe, that pulls you to it. Rona is an artist. Her song will go down in esc history as an undisputed classic that had its hatred in its time and with nothing going its way finished 5th. That's it from me. All I say is, I wish we had one of these every year and it really humbles me more than anything to have it first of 2012.

I read your rankings of the 2012 contest with great interest. Only country I was missing in the top 10 was Spain (Spain and Italy are my nr. 1 & 2 this year), but it is a lovely top 10! And I love the style of and the clear explanations in your reviews.